This week’s blast through the snow and ice covered roads around Umeå play host to the second round of the FIA World Rally Championship season.
Being the only dedicated snow rally, the challenge is unique with crews tackling ultra-fast snowbank-lined roads at incredible speeds thanks to Hankook’s studded snow tyre. Despite the challenging conditions, the rally is regularly one of the fastest of the year.
Elfyn Evans says Oliver Solberg’s victory at Rallye Monte-Carlo came as no surprise, insisting his Toyota GAZOO Racing team-mate already had the credentials of a genuine title contender.
Solberg dominated the season-opening round in the Principality to secure a landmark win, with Evans finishing second to bank a strong points haul as the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship got under way.
But while the result confirmed Solberg as the driver to beat heading into Rally Sweden, Evans said the Swede’s performance merely underlined what many in the service park already knew.
Solberg has the chance to extend his lead at the top with Seb Ogier who finished third at Monte Carlo has opted not to compete.
Hyundai Motorsport remains confident in its package to challenge Toyota for the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship and expects to have three cars in the podium fight at Rally Sweden.
Hyundai had expected Monte Carlo’s asphalt stages to provide a challenge for its package, a situation that was heightened by unexpectedly extreme wintry weather.
However, Hyundai sporting director Andrew Wheatley is adamant the team has made “big steps” to close the gap to Toyota and is confident the i20 N Rally1 package will deliver results this year.
Hyundai has spent the off-season developing an updated front end to widen the car’s operating window, while also upgrading the transmission.
Thierry Neuville shares the belief that, when it comes to snow and gravel rallies, Hyundai will be in a better position to fight with Toyota.
Esapekka Lappi, will rejoin the team for the event to pilot its third car. Lappi and co-driver Enni Mälkönen tested the i20 N on snow last weekend, fresh from competing in the Finnish Rally Championship round at the Arctic Lapland Rally. The duo, driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, finished second overall behind Elfyn Evans, who was at the wheel of a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1.
M-Sport heads to Rally Sweden determined to bounce back from a challenging Rallye Monte-Carlo, with the team targeting strong points-scoring finishes on the FIA World Rally Championship’s only full snow and ice event.
After a disappointing final day on last month’s Rallye Monte-Carlo for the Rally1 crews, the team targets a clean run in Sweden with strong points-scoring finishes from its crews
The team welcomes back Mārtiņš Sesks to the Puma Rally1 car, who will aim to improve upon the impressive pace seen last season.
